The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1887-05-05
UNIQUE eovERNMsNr.
How Discipline IL Maintained In . Oa11-
fornia Prison on q stomachica1 Unsls,

I.
How Discipline IL Maintained in Oa1l-
fornia Prison ON = stomachical Dnsls,
To those who are unacquainted with
the methods of prison discipline, visit
to the branch prison at Folsom IL full Of
interest. To see the 600 prisoners at
work in and around those quarries, ono
wonders by what means men who arc
convicted of all crimes known to our
laws behave so excellently and work
with degree of industry that would BE-
creditable to any walk of life. Six hun-
dred men unmanacled, unclaimed; out
side of the prison walls, with nothing 10
indicate that they were prisoners except
their striped felons' suits, working away
with will, performing an honest days
labor and apparently proud of the result
of their toll, is sight to the
visitor totally unexpected. Men who
never in free state did an honest
days work-forgers, burglars, high
wayman, mlfrderers-vie with each
other to see who can do the most,
and strive to and do accomplish as good
work as that turned out by free skilled
labor. These men are of all ages, from Q
youth of sixteen to men bowed down by
three score years and ten-meD whose
sentences range from one to fifty-five
years, while others have been sentenced
for life. What is still more remarkable,
the 'lifetimers," as they are called, arc
said to be the most contented and best
workers, and those who in free state are
lazy, indolent and averse to labor of any
kind are the most reliable and industrf-
Gus. The secret of all this is the fact
that the quality and service of their
food and the limited privileges they
enjoy are dependent upon their be-
havior and the amount and quality of the
labor they perform. The eating depart
ment of the prison is divided into
three grades, and is designated by the
prisoners as the "bean table" "bull beef
and mutton chop" The dining room for
the bean table" is fitted up with tables
consisting of single board about ten
inches wide, upon which, about every
three feet, is securely nailed tin dish
containing pepper and salt. The beans
and other rough food are served on tin
plates, and knives and forks are not pro-
vided. The food is wholesome, but it
must be eaten in the most primitive style,
and the prisoners are not allowed to
speak to one another during meal time.
All new prisoners are placed at the "bean
table," and it is not until their excellent
conduct and industry commend them
to the management that they are pro-
noted to the "bull-beef table" Here the
fare is more varied, the prisoners are
seated at tables furnished with whole
some beef, vegetables, etc. This is quite
step in advance of the "bean table," and
many prisoners never get beyond
it. The 'mutton-chop table" is the
height of the prisoners ambition. Here
he is seated at a regular dining-table;
he has full complement of dishes,
though all are of tin; he has knife and
fork; the table is furnished with casters;
he has mutton stew, stewed beef, meats
in variety, vegetables in season, and he is
allowed to converse freely with his fell
lows. 1t is distinction he is proud of,
one that he has worked hard to obtain,
and one that he will maintain no matter
how hard the struggle. The prisoners
ale treated kindly; the "mutton- chop"
men are shown great consideration by the
officers, and from this class little or no
trouble is ever experienced, for an infrac-
tion OF the rules sends them to the "bean-
table," from which they find it difficult to
again obtain what they have lost.-Sacra-
mento Record Union.